The Polar Express is a book about a boy whose friend has told him there is no such thing as Santa Claus. The boy remains a believer and while listening for Santa’s sleigh bells on Christmas eve, hears a train pull up to his house. The train is heading for the North Pole. Once at the North pole the boy is lucky enough to meet Santa and his elves. Santa picks the boy to receive the first present of Christmas. The boy asks Santa for a sleigh bell. Santa cuts one of his bells off his sleigh and hands it to the boy. When the boy gets home, he notices the bell has fallen out of a hole in his pocket. The next morning while him and his sister are opening presents with their parents he unwraps a small present and discovers the bell inside, with a note that says, Fix that hole in your pocket. The boy shakes the bell and the only two who can hear it are him and his sister. This book is a wonderful story with pictures that make you feel you too are at the North Pole. On the way to the North Pole the train rides through beautiful landscape, making me wish I was a passenger on this train. The Polar Express is a Caldecott Award winner, and it is clear as to why, the pictures are extremely magical and original.

This book is great for any teacher or parent who is looking for a good Christmas book. As a parent and soon to be teacher I highly recommend this book. It is a magical story which will have children longing to visit Santa at the North Pole. This story is also for anyone who was once a child who believed in Santa. It took me back to the days of my childhood when I too would listen for Santa’s sleigh bells.

Teachers or Parents could have children draw pictures of what they would ask Santa for if they ever met him face to face. Children could also draw pictures of what they think the North Pole really looks like. This would be a good opportunity for children to make gingerbread houses for Santa to live in.

This is a story of a little boy who believed in christmas when no one else did. He believed so much that in his dream he went to the north pole on the express train. Their he met all kinds of characters and people who he thought never existed.
This is one of my all time favorite books. My mom would read this book to us every christmas and then we would watch the new movie. just reading it again makes me think of my family and all the traditions we used to do.
I would use this book with older children but now a days you have to respect other religious beliefs. So I would read this to a 5 or 6th grade level and explain to them that not all children believe in this and that this book is fiction.

This book is so beautiful that all of the illustrations should be published as pictures themselves. The story is great for Christmas Eve, year after year. The entire book is just dazzling. ( )

This would be a good book to read around Christmas time. It is about a little boy who does not believe in Santa until the Polar Express took him to the North Pole. ( )

This is a classic story that encourages children to continue to believe in the magic of Christmas.